Strange Times
by Charmaps
Summary: Complete - Enjoy! Started this before Nate became a recurring character.  Pysch eval time and Nate get's far more then he bargained for when the Director calls him to DC.
1. Chapter 1

Strange Times – by Charmaps

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

Nate stood in the upper level shadows and watched as the team he was responsible for came in. Today was day one of the big week of annual psych evaluations. As well as the main team Nate was being asked to evaluate a few employees of NCIS OSP that were raising flags. They were all new staff and raising flags was nothing new.

Often newbies had trouble adapting to the new work environment, or lies told at interview stage came back to bite them. Midmorning saw a scheduled phone conversation with director Vance to talk about the flag raisers. Nate would start their interviews this afternoon effectively breaking up his big 'talks' with the primary team. Kensi, Callen, Sam and Eric.

Hetty had arrived first and after boiling water for her tea had retreated to her office to do what ever it was she did that resulted in her rowing her boat so smoothly. She knew what week it was and was bracing herself for rough waters. She had signed off on the paperwork giving permission for the evaluations and the temporary standing down of the team. Silently she was thankful that she was excluded from the interviews. The primary team might see Nate as bit of a socially inept oaf outside of his office, in his office one on one they knew he was direct and intense looking to go where they were most afraid off. Into themselves.

Eric was next in, he got three steps into the office before he suddenly backtracked. Nate was momentarily puzzled till he realised the computer whizz kid was tracking sand and in fear of Hetty, had retreated outside to loose the sand before Hetty could have reason to get mad at him. The operational psychologist was saving Eric's interview for last, Eric had the least barriers against Nate and at the end of their chat's Eric seemed none the worse and Nate remembered what it was like before he joined NCIS. Help people work through their demons and move on in a better state. Eric was always keen to offload what distressed him and move on. And for all his surf dude swagger he was as afraid of Hetty as Nate appeared.

Callen and Sam arrived bickering as usual about something trivial. Doughnut's by the sound of it. Only Callen could get this kind of raise out of the Seal over a confectionary item. From the sound of it the debate had been going on for a while and Sam's patience was waining. Nate's theory was confirmed when Sam ended the conversation with a comment about a new hole for Callen. Callen retorted that he had five and Sam could bring it on. A comment Nate hastily filed away for later.

Kensi was last in silently taking her seat. Nate was worried about her. Her serial dating was topping a whole new level, he saw what the others did not see in her body language and clouded looks. She was looking for something she was not finding. Till she knew what she was looking for that would remain the case. He knew the truth about her fiancé unlike the others, he knew her abondenmnet fears and that she wanted to be loved in a stable relationship but her fears made her destruct any chances before they could be taken away from her.

As Nate watched the team settling at their desks to start paperwork, they busied themselves, with rougher bickering then usual and lots more paperwork then usual. This stopped themselves thinking about Nate's forthcoming interview for them and productively bringing themselves up to date with all their work. At least psych evaluation week had a good side to it. Hetty did not need to chase for the paperwork owing that month.

As Nate was resolved on the idea of calling Sam up first his phone went off in his pocket. The objects of his thoughts, Kensi, Callen and Sam all turned and looked up to where Nate was now cowering in the shadows. So much for subtle observation Nate thought as he quickly ducked down the nearest corridor belatedly realising it lead only to the woman's bathroom.

"Director Vance" Nate greeted, silently cursing the man.

"Dr Getz, I know this call is a few hours early hope this is not a problem" The director greeted. Before Nate could respond he found himself chest to face with a female staff member coming out of the bathroom. She looked up and gave Nate the kind of look that he felt she normally would have reserved for perverts. Nate turned on his heels and made for his office. The agents who were below saw him head out of the corridor and cross the landing back towards his office followed by an annoyed looking female worker. They all exchanged a quick smile, maybe it would not be so bad this year.

"No problem, director, what can I do for you?" Nate asked hastily shutting his office door and idly wishing it was the weekend already and not 9.50 on Monday still.

"I know we were going to talk later in the morning, but something related has come up in DC that requires your expertise. How do you fancy a few days away?" Vance said in a tone that left Nate both curious and worried about what could be so serious.

45 minutes later as Nate hung up his phone and sank deeply into his seat he thought to himself that the team would be happy, looked like they were off the hook for interviews for the next week, Nate had bigger mental fish to fry. For the next few hours Nate pursued personal files and formulated a plan. He could not deny that the opportunity to sink his teeth into such a juicy profiling case was exciting. He loved his job but often he felt restrained by the team and their barriers that often held him back. This was an opportunity to get up close and personal with a subject his way. In his preys mind and exploiting it. He was going hunting for a real nasty piece of work.


	2. Chapter 2

Strange Times – by Charmaps

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

Chapter 2 – Homecoming

Kensi, Callen and Sam sat at their desks eating lunch and making small talk. Ignoring the elephant in the middle of the bull-pen. Nate's silence. Annually Nate never left them hanging. He started the week promptly and got it over for them by Thursday so they could recover over the long weekend before Monday came around and things went back to normal. It was lunchtime and Nate had not surfaced since his phone call that had blown his surprisingly good attempt at covert observation. (Only because they had not expected it). As the debate about doughnuts restarted the trio glanced up to see Nate come rushing down the stairs his bag on one shoulder and his jacket half on on the other.

Without even a glance he bypassed the bull-pen and headed into Hetty's office. Before he could speak she handed him an envelope with a flight ticket in it. Silently Nate gave Hetty a nod that spoke volumes and took the envelope before heading out of head quarters. What he was looking for was an unpleasant topic. Hetty stepped out of her office and silently watched the retreating back of her operational psychologist. After a moment she found herself surrounded by a confused looking Kensi, Callen and Sam.

"Your evaluations will have to wait for next week" Hetty announced to the team members. "Nate has higher priorities" With that Hetty walked back into her office, ending the conversation.

"Not sure if I should feel relieved or undervalued" Sam announced to no-one in particular.

Callen snorted "You, I thought my head was his favourite place"

Kensi smirked at the pair, "You sound like you have been dumped not rescheduled, don't worry Nate will get to all of us with his usual tenacity in his own time".

Neither of the agents could argue with that. And they would get to him too, a mystery was brewing and the special agents did not do well being left out.

The rest of the week passed with no incident or case to pursue other then the current maintenance of covers and back burning ops for Kensi, Callen, Sam and Eric. Paperwork was being completed and the agents, though they would never admit it, were liking the feeling that maybe the forthcoming weekend would be all theirs, not catch up time. The only fly in the ointment was that Hetty was very quiet and they had come to realise that Nate was an off limit topic. It had not happened often but it did occasionally happen that Nate would be lent out to another agency or office and go off for a few days. When he reappeared no explanation was ever given though he always seemed a bit happier like the change did him good. Sometimes Callen wondered how long Nate would stay with NCIS before he headed of to pastures greener where he could be better appreciated.

At the end of the day feeling in a good mood, brought on by being ahead on work and not underneath the pile for a change, the boys were cajoling Kensi into going for Thai. Eric had waded into the debate giving the history of real Thai food from his time in Thailand travelling and surfing. On team outings he was automatically included, just like Nate was. Though in Nate's case it was only 51 weeks of the year that the inclusion applied, it was by unspoken mutual agreement that during evaluation week Nate and the team did not socialise.

Eventually Kensi capitulated and they all headed towards the exit, stopping long enough to get a negative response from Hetty to her invite. They all agreed that she looked worried but before they could rally and head back in to investigate some more Nate arrived back at head quarters and bypassing the group headed straight into Hetty's office to participate in what was obviously a private conversation.

Heated, short private conversation apparently from the tones that could be heard.

It was not his sudden arrival and his blanking them again so much as his state that perturbed the group who had been heading to dinner. They followed him back into head quarters, not trying to hide their curiosity, and waited for the chance to speak to Nate or Hetty. They may rag Nate but he was part of the team, despite evaluation week, Seeing him show up looking like he lost a few rounds to Mike Tyson got their back ups even if they could not understand why or would never admit why.

After a short conversation with Hetty Nate headed back out of her office but stopped in his tracks at the presence of the team. Their' looks said that they expected an explanation for the split lip, swollen eye and bruises on his neck and face. Nate belatedly thought he should off found a turtle neck to hide the rope burns around his throat and wrists, not relied on an empty office at five o'clock on a Friday instead. His flight home had been on a private jet borrowed from the central intelligence agency, a novel experience.

Other employees were loitering on their way home taking a double look at Nate and the primary team. The tension in the air was like a blanket through the whole office, which unsurprisingly was emptying quickly. The glares coming from Sam aimed at anyone who stopped to near or too long were seeing to that.

"Well" Callen broke the silence.

"If I say I slipped in the shower, long shower cable, will you let it lie?"Nate asked hoping to deflect with humour that he really did not feel.

"No" Sam interjected as short and concise as ever. Nate could tell that Sam's team work instincts were in full red alert. Nate also knew he was going to be on the receiving end of some protective behaviour, even in his current state Nate could not miss the glare.

"It was worth a try" Nate mumbled as he tried to step around the agents, alternatively grateful for and hating their rallying instincts. If he could just make for his office, he only had to get up the stairs and he could shut himself off, be properly alone for the first time since Monday morning when he had left for DC.

Callen side stepped and blocked the psychologists' path. Something was defiantly up with the profiler come head shrink and not knowing something did not sit well with agents who depended on information to survive their days. Somewhere in Nate's sleep deprived mind he knew this but was carrying on oblivious to the flags he was raising with his primary team. Stopped in his tracks Nate evaluated his situation. Four and a half days in DC, three of them in a room tied up had pushed all his senses and limits. Hetty knew it had all gone to hell in a hand basket in DC but not how. She was not used to being in the dark either but what ever was being cooked up by Vance and Nate was apparently not her business. Nate needed to work his end of the plan before he spoke to Vance again and for that he needed to get to his office.


	3. Chapter 3

Strange Times – by Charmaps

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

Chapter 3 – Trapped in Traps

Nate and Vance were setting a trap, part one was done, though Nate's injuries attested that not to plan, but now it was on a clock to set the next part, keeping the team out of it was Vance's order and not sitting any better with Nate then being left out of something was sitting with the agents. Nate took a deep breath trying to remember what he had decided to do on the plane if he came upon this situation. His mind betrayed him, offering up no answers and instead he simply tried to step around the team again. Callen blocked him again, this time with a gentle push. Callen had the good grace to look apologetic when Nate sharply in took breath over gritted teeth. Apparently the ribs were not broken but it still hurt like hell. Nate took advantage of Callen's pause and surprise and pushed back, slipping past the agents and straight up the stair case. Once inside his office with his door shut, Nate headed to his desk and started up his computer. He lowered his forehead down onto the cool desk and tried to absorb the calm from his silent surroundings. He was really out of his comfort zone by a few football field lengths. His fantasies of being an action agent were the furthest thing from his idea of exciting anymore. He'd give almost anything right now to be the most hated man in the office and in the thick of psych evaluations, heck he'd even volunteer to take one over his current problem. Though he was also sure one was coming up for him after this ordeal. Ducky seemed far too keen to corner him when he was leaving DC.

Back in the bull pen all thoughts of food had been forgotten. Hetty had stopped any questions from Kensi and Sam dead in the water, what little she knew she was not sharing. Callen had stayed quiet, seemingly perturbed by physically hurting the head shrink or by getting shoved back by said shrink was not clear.

Kensi seemed the most put out by Nate's appearance, they were all used to being bruised and looking a little worse for wear but as a rule only agents got that way, not the office based specialists. Hetty, Eric and Nate had never sported bruises before. Nate's appearance was perturbing on many fronts, he was anything but physical or violent, not really trained to fight back, so however this happened to Nate it was one sided and not a fair fight. Maybe this is what is most upsetting, Nate was defiantly the underdog and they were not there to level the playing field. Nate was part of the team however much his chosen profession put him at odds with the team that he looked out over when his skills were turned on them and not the bad guys.

"What we going to do" Sam asked ever the pragmatist.

"Keep an eye on him, find out what's going on" Callen said with finality before grabbing Eric by the sleeve and hauling him up towards the ops centre. Eric had been silent since Nate's arrival home. The computer genius did not cope well when confronted with physical ramifications and Nate's exhausted battered appearance was defiantly leaving it's ramification's on the team.

Back in his office Nate was shutting down his computer, he had four hours, he would loose over an hour of it if he went back to his home and he really did not feel up to the drive. Belatedly he thought that going home was not an option anyhow. He turned off the lamp and lights and headed for the clients couch, usually as a rule he never sat on the couch keeping professional boundaries in his professional work space. Today though he headed straight for the softer seat and stretched out allowing the lower part of his legs to hang over the end. At his height he was used to furniture that never fitted for him. Kept his chiropractor in good money. Maybe it was conspiracy Nate thought purposefully letting his mind wander. Take the wooden chair he just spent nearly three days in till Gibbs smashed down the door to the storage shed he was held in. That chair was low and his knees would let him know about it for weeks.

Monday had started out so simple get through psych evaluations, then it had become find out what someone was trying to steal from NCIS. An operative had been caught trying to steal information but too soon for Gibbs and his team to know what she was trying to steal. That's where Nate came in. He was too go to the safe house she was being held in to question her whilst giving her a psych evaluation. She was pleading temporary insanity and there was no-one else as qualified as him and with the security clearance readily available. Turned out she was setting her own trap. The information she wanted was not in the office she broke into at NCIS head quarters DC but in the head of said psychologist that thought he was there to get information out of her head. She also had a pretty solid plan and a lot of back-up. She took them unawares and more specifically Nate. Three days later Nate had sparred, argued and baited the woman, he knew what she wanted to know otherwise each of them knew nothing more then when they had first met. Except that distrust was now a deep seated dislike.

After his rescue Nate had insisted on coming home. The woman had at first appeared to die in an explosion during his rescue but it seemed too easy. Gibbs felt, and Nate agreed, that she was still out there. Whilst the DC office continued a very hush hush man hunt, Nate had come home to follow up on what she was after. He was grounded to the office, Vance felt that whilst in that building he did not need bodyguards. Hetty knew someone was after him and to keep him grounded, locked if necessary in the office. She had demanded more information when he had arrived and he, for reasons he will never fathom, had back-chatted her. There was most likely an operative in the Office of Special Projects selling secrets that was wanted by two sides, the good and the bad side and so as not to comprise the chances of finding this person Nate was the only LA man privy to this bit of information. Lying, torture and violence were all new to him, and all being experienced in isolation. He guessed back chatting Hetty and shoving Callen were defence mechanisms. He had never felt this vulnerable.

Knowing that Vance was going to wake him up with a phone call, Nate let himself fall into an uneasy sleep trying to evaluate himself. Never a good thing.


	4. Chapter 4

Strange Times – by Charmaps

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

Chapter 4 – A bit of man handling

In the ops centre whilst Nate slept Callen and his team were trying to track Nate's movements in DC but were coming up blank. They could get footage of him arriving at the airport and getting into a black SUV with Gibbs and his team but cameras lost it after that. Callen had tried to call Gibbs but had been hung up on. That went down badly. Eric had called Abby who had outright said she would not lie so therefore could say nothing and that she was really busy, she too had then hastily hung up.

Whilst Eric worked his computer magic trying to find anything in cyberspace that could give them information about Nate over the last few days Sam and Kensi decided to try a more direct approach to Nate. He had been in his office for the best part of four hours. It was late and it was Friday.

Sam and Kensi let themselves into the office to find their target asleep on a sofa. It was an amusing site. Nate was stretched out mouth open and head lolled to the side snoring softly, he was obviously making up for lost sleep. His feet were hanging off the bottom of the sofa and Sam, having been in his position before was feeling for the pain Nate would be in when he tried to unkink himself and get off the sofa.

Kensi had quietly approached Nate whilst Sam had been contemplating him and was busy doing her own contemplation using her forensic skills. The mark around the neck was from rope as was the marks around his wrists. The bruising on his face and hands, and Kensi suspected, elsewhere below his clothes, were created by a hard object not fists. The bruises were still fresh and developing, he was going to look a lot worse before he looked better. Kensi and Sam decided not to disturb the shrink and were slowly heading out of the office when Nate's office line started ringing loudly in the quiet room. Nate startled awake half fell half jumped off the sofa, Kensi who had not backed far enough away became tangled in the shrink and they both became a mass of arms and legs on the floor. Sam feeling decidedly agent like grabbed the phone and answered it whilst Nate was still trying to get his bearings and his breath back.

"Hello" Sam said

"Where's Dr Getz? Is he okay" Director Vance replied sounding very pissed off.

"Right here, Sir" Sam responded crisply to the director, he had got enough out of the two line exchange to get a feel for the shape of the situation.

Nate untangled himself from Kensi, his blush framing his bruises as he attempted to straighten his clothes without causing more pain or looking at Kensi as she straightened her blouse. Whilst man handling and being man handled she had confirmed that Nate had more swelling and bruising under his clothes. Nate snatched the phone from Sam whilst bolstering past him to get around his desk. Belatedly he realised that was the third team member he had possibly crossed the line with. Scratch that, fourth he thought, bodily pinning Kensi would come back and bite him later, he was sure of it. Maybe he was looking for more bodily harm he thought. Back chatting Hetty, shoving Callen and Sam and man handling Kensi in a sleep haze were not healthy pursuits.

Sam without taking his eyes off Nate crossed to Kensi and helped her to her feet. Nate gestured for them to leave the office before starting his conversation with the director.

For the next hour they discussed the three suspects Nate was figuring to be the accomplice and his new theory on how it all led to Callen. It was decided, much to Nate's displeasure, that he would remain in the office over the weekend and let the Washington team work on the hunt for Claudice. On Monday he would start his psych evaluations and act as if he believed Claudice was dead and the case was over. The suspects were on his timetable for late Monday morning. He had got Vance to agree that if his theory was looking right, he would include the team afterward. If Gibbs theory was right they would continue as planned.

After the phone call was over Nate decided he really was hungry and thirsty. The previous night had been spent in hospital where he had not wanted to eat. His appetite had not returned during the day but now he felt he really should have something. Knowing that it was wholly likely that outside of his office there were five people loitering waiting for him to make an appearance, he resolved to avoid shoving anyone else as he headed out of his office and to the kitchen downstairs.

In Eric's domain, the ops centre, the team were discussing Nate. From the phone call Sam had worked out that Nate was in danger and grounded to the office and that the director was stressed. Hetty had not denied Sam's questions about Nate's safety and hinted that the sofa was a good bed for him for the foreseeable. As the team threw around limited information they debated what to do. Eric had discovered that Nate's return to LA was not with a standard airline and not much else.

As the team talked they saw him pass the centre and head down the stairs. Upon seeing him enter the kitchen Callen quipped up, "Think it's time for dinner?"

"Let's take a different tactic, act like everything's fine" Sam said as he headed for the door. His Seal team ethic was making it hard for him to not be involved in Nate's situation and to not be protecting him. The team in silent agreement all followed Sam downstairs and filled the small kitchen area. Nate was out numbered and cornered.

Again.

This time by the good guys but it still felt bad. He realised he was going to have a few hang up's to get over after this whole mess calmed down.

Cornered in the kitchen by the team Nate started to feel really off kilter. He had expected an assault of them trying to get his story from him. Instead they were discussing take out and getting his order. Not that he was complaining any take out to fill up on was better then the unsatisfying snacks that were in the kitchen. And so the team continued to act like all was normal. Soon Nate found himself sat in the bullpen with water and a beer also with food which Nate was convinced had arrived in record time.

Maybe he was feeling a bit soft, time was beginning to get confusing, he was loosing track of the conversation and the lack of questions made him uneasy, Nate was working out what he wanted to say so as to not say anything at the same time when Sam said it for him.

"So how long you grounded for?" Sam asked never looking up from his food. Sam had noticed that Nate was struggling to pay attention to his surroundings and decided that if they wanted answers from him now might be a good time.

"Um, not really sure, hopefully Monday". Nate realised they had worked out a lot and he should be grateful they were being so patient with their Friday night. Was it still Friday night? Must be Saturday by now he thought.

"Something happening Monday that will change the scenario Nate?" Callen this time, making sure Nate knew who was boss here.

"Errr," Nate stammered and chewed his lip thoughtfully, cringing when he realised he should maybe give up that habit for a while. "You know I want to include you guys, right? It would make my life easier. Leon says no".


	5. Chapter 5

Strange Times – by Charmaps

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

Chapter 5 – Nose Diving

"Leon" Kensi and Eric said in unison.

"Err yeah, getting" Nate paused fishing around for the right word, how much had he had to drink? "Damaged", yes that would do "for the service apparently gets you privileges" Maybe too much information but it was not like they could not of already worked that one out for themselves.

The office fell quiet, no-one really sure what to say though they all knew what they wanted to ask. Hetty contemplated Nate, he was deflecting with humour at his own expense, usual for him but in unusual circumstances. He looked like he needed a real bed and from his inability to sit still in one position maybe some more pain killers too, or at least a softer chair. The dazed look that was growing with the alcohol influence made it clear to her that he was already taking something strong. He really had to be hurting if he was taking something that would impair his mental acuity. Ironically, or not, for a psychologist his greatest fear was not having total mental control. His growing confusion was also perturbing he seemed unaware that his beer never got empty, and he was defiantly struggling to keep up with the conversation.

"So what is the agencies private jet like?" Eric asked. He was feeling very out of his depth and did not want to know about damage as Nate had called it. It was different when it was cases and people he did not know. This was Nate, to close to home for comfort.

"Nice" Nate said with a shrug and then an instant grimace of regret. He needed painkillers. He looked around trying to think where he had left his. The room was rolling and not helping. His bag, yes upstairs, Pain killers and sleep.

"You want to borrow my bed roll?" Callen asked. Nate was thinking of his office and took a moment to register the statement, before Nate could formulate an answer in the negative as nicely as he could manage Hetty saved him.

"If that thing has found its way back into this building I will burn it!" This outburst from Hetty seemed to be a catalyst for the tension to break. All had a laugh at Callen's behalf and all agreed only he would sleep on that thing. The conversation then turned to other subjects including evaluations that Nate promised vigorously to start on Monday. Without realising it he gave away to the team that it was more than just routine that they start on Monday. For one thing he was clear minded on the subject of Monday obviously it was more then routine. Quietly the team stored away this piece of information. Piecemeal they could work out a lot and on any normal day Nate knew this. But this was not a normal day let alone week. Nothing else was given away during the rest of the conversation that eventually came back to Nate, who was struggling to participate again.

He was full, tired and slightly inebriated from the beer which despite declining he still seemed too have consumed, not that he had finished his first beer, though he felt like he had had three or four. He chided himself for being so stupid as to drink whilst on pain killers and when he knew it was a weakness the others wanted to exploit. Hastily he stood up and tried to make for the stairs back to the safety and isolation of his office. He nearly made it one step before landing on his knees.

The sudden standing and collapsing of their psychologist took the team by surprise and Nate was the best part of on his face before Sam and Callen had him by the shoulders interrupting his nose dive. "Whoa there cowboy" Sam said trying to calm an obviously agitated Nate. He was still trying to get up. After a moment Nate gave up the brief struggle and instead lowered himself the rest of the way to the floor and shut his eyes apparently he had decided this was as good a place as any to give up on a bad day and get some heavily needed sleep. Before the team could work out getting him up from the floor and settled else where he was soundly in the land of nod.

The team settled Nate onto the sofa Callen usually occupied then after a short discussion they decided to rotate Nate-sitting. Sam was going to finish the night. Callen would take over in the morning with the others each taking turns for the rest of the weekend. It was now 3am and the others headed home leaving Sam keeping watch over Nate.

By 9am on Saturday Nate was still soundly out of it and the whole team were back. They had no paperwork to do and no real case, they had some info from Nate but not enough to do anything about. This was leading to a bored team. If Nate had of been awake he would off been worried. Instead he slept past midday and woke up to such a scene he momentarily thought DC may of been a safer location.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – B&E, Nate style

From where he laid on the sofa first Nate had seen ropes then upside down people. His first instinct was panic whilst he tried to get his bearings. He blinked a few times trying to work out what was happening. Were the agents hanging Eric by his feet on a rope. No Eric was moving himself. They were teaching him rope skills? Kensi was going up and down on a rope next to him and it looked like Sam and Callen were guiding the ropes whilst Hetty gave instructions. Eric's face said it all.

He was not enjoying this learning experience and Nate was certain that it had not been an entirely voluntary experience. Realising that the team were bored and he was going to be stuck with them for the weekend brought Nate back to reality. Hoping they were not going to try and get him to try out that experience, he really had had enough of rope recently he kept quiet and enjoyed the show till nature really was too persistent.

Very slowly Nate rolled off the sofa and headed to the bathroom to relieve himself. Hoping he would not be noticed.

"Finally" Kensi said to the others once Nate was in the bathroom. "I thought he was going to lay there watching all day. Let me down". The team quickly gathered their things whilst Eric made a fast exit up to the ops centre. They would have to apologise later. For now they all needed to play their parts.

When Nate came out of the bathroom Eric was missing and Kensi was back on terra firma and waiting for him. Kensi holding his coffee cup, blissfully full and Hetty water and painkillers. Trying not to remember why he was earning such special attention and that after evaluations on Monday he would lose it all as things went back to normal he took the offerings with a grateful smile and settled himself stiffly back on the sofa.

"Don't you guys have better things to do with your weekend?" Nate asked hopefully when it became obvious that the others were not going to start the conversation. They had all took seats close by and were making him feel a bit cornered. Fighting the uneasy feeling he focused on drinking his coffee. Decaf he decided. Maybe not so kind after all.

"Yes" Callen replied in a non-aggressive manner without any further elaboration.

"And" Nate pushed hoping the yes was an indicator that he would be left alone soon. He had work to do and was as sure as he started it they would be all over him.

"And nothing. Sleep well?" Sam interjected hoping Nate was still sleepy enough to give away more of what was going on. By silent agreement the team knew that closing ranks on Nate was a good way to unsettle him, he was used to being avoided not closed in on, a side effect of his chosen occupation. Sam knew Nate had not slept restfully for the early part of the night, but out of respect had not shared this information with the others when they had arrived.

"Yes. Don't remember laying down even" No, I ache and my sleep was not restful, just like this situation is not restful, he said silently to himself. He was also confused about how he got on the sofa. Last he remembered he was heading to his office.

From the snorts and chuckles he guessed how he got on the sofa had been amusing to the rest of the team but he found out no more as they were not forthcoming with information. Guess there was a bit of stonewalling all round.

Silence descended again broken by Nate's mobile phone ringing in his pocket. It stopped by the time Nate freed it from his pocket. The screen saying one missed call. No number. Curious Nate kept the phone in his hand so as to answer it quicker if the caller rang back.

At a loss for what else to say Nate said thank you and made excuses before heading to the locker room for a shower and a change of clothes. Hetty had disabled the timer on the shower he decided as the hot water kept running long past it would normally off. It was almost good enough to make up for the decaf coffee. Reluctantly he got out of the shower and dressed into clean clothes that were his. Feeling refreshed and his muscles soothed from the hot water he left by the side door and headed upstairs to his office feeling only a little guilty. He could see Hetty, Callen, Sam and Eric sat at the table in the bull pen playing cards but from the sound of it Eric was trying to convince them all to start a video game tournament. He was not winning that conversation.

Once in his office Nate started up his own coffee maker, treating himself to the special coffee blend he usually reserved for the end of a really bad day. Well it was the end of a row of them. Once the percolator was percolating, Nate then started his computer and brought up the three personnel files he had looked at yesterday. His mind was clearer and fuelled by real coffee Nate soon had strategies for his interviews with the employee's. He also had some more unanswered questions. After some internal debating he pulled out his mobile phone and called the director.

Once the director got over his shock, and picked himself up from the floor, Nate thought idly, the director gave Nate the go ahead to look through employees personal areas in the over riding interest of National security. He declined for Nate to involve the others which left Nate the problem of trying to snoop, not in his skill set and avoid his baby-sitters, also not in his natural skill set. This was going to be another novel experience.

He had three work areas he wanted to look over. One in an isolated area on the second floor similar to his office. Not so hard if the others were down stairs still playing cards. The other two were harder. One was a bench area in Eric's domain, could be done if Eric remained downstairs. The third one was in plain view of the bull pen. He did not have a clue how to do that one.

He decided to start with the one closest to his office as he could hear that the others were still downstairs. If he had of had the real coffee first thing and not after he got to his office he would of noted that Kensi was still not at the table playing cards.

He slipped slowly down the hallway and into the open office area. This was where four researchers sat. It was their jobs to get together all relevant information to create cover stories and to answer incoming calls appropriately as though they really were fictional people or companies. They were the backstops for the undercover agents and one of Hetty's powerful tools. If his target here was the information leak a lot of undercover operations were compromised on the most basic level.

He went to Mary Simpson's work area and looked it over. She was his first interview of the three on Monday morning. When she arrived on Monday morning she would find an appointment in her inbox just like the other two would.

Her desk was busy and cluttered and had some family and dog pictures, chocolate wrappers, lots of business cards and lists. Not tidy and she obviously did not remember things easily as evidenced by the lists. A quick examination of her draws did not reveal or contradict anything that he did not know from her personnel file. Feeling like he really had intruded enough he headed out of the open office area and back towards his office. From the chatter the others were still playing cards downstairs.

As he entered into his office if Nate had of looked back over his shoulder he would have seen Kensi slipping into the open office area he had just come from. She intended to look at what ever Nate had just looked at.

Back in his office Nate sat down with more coffee and an energy bar from the stock in his desk. It was getting on for 4pm on a Saturday. Callen, Hetty, Sam, Eric and Kensi were settled in to wait him out. His next problem was as soon as he headed into Eric's domain he would probably be seen and he knew the others would soon come to see why he was in there.

That was Birch's area. David Birch, a 36 year old single grad student come electrical specialist. He lived at the maximum of his financial situation and more than a little recklessly. David fit the profile of a possible mole. His job was to maintain and create the little spy devices that were so useful. The mini cameras, button mics and such. He did not have the access to information the way Mary Simpson did but he did have access to where the agents went, information gathered and how the information was relayed to the ops centre. He would be second on the list for Monday. Unlike Mary, who Nate had had brief conversations with, he had never spoken to David.

Nate lent back in his chair and savouring more coffee contemplated the air ducts. Would he fit in them and would they lead to Eric's domain? Nah, they probably had booby traps in them. He did work for Hetty after all.

Kensi meanwhile was in the open office area she had just seen Nate looking around in. From where she had been in the hallway shadows she had seen roughly which side of the room Nate was looking around in but not which of the two desks had been the main focus of his attention. She quickly looked around for anything suspicious and the names of the owners of the desks. Making a mental note of everything she thought pertinent and texting the details.

As she was about to head back into the corridor she heard Nate's office door then his very quiet foot steps. He had been mostly limping come shuffling since he rolled off the sofa this morning a sign he was aching more as the full extent of his bruising came out. She ducked under a desk whilst he went by trying to be as quiet and unnoticeable as possible. The guy was well over 6 foot, when moving he was not unnoticeable. He would think he was being successful in his subterfuge though, the plan was for everyone to be oblivious to what he was doing. Make him confident and complacent. If he would not tell them verbally he could tell them by actions.

Nate went by the office area he had been in a little while earlier no sparing it a second glance. He felt guilty for going through the area even if it was for the right reason. As he came to the corner he stopped and looked down at the group playing cards. Hetty had quite a pile of jelly beans in her corner, Sam was doing reasonably well as was Callen, Eric was fighting a lost cause, he just did not have the poker face for poker. Nate looked again and realised that one person was missing from the table. The cards were dealt for her but she was not there. He panicked suddenly then reasoned that she was probably in the head.

He was uncertain of what to do next. If he headed into the ops centre, the others were sure to notice and then he would need to find reasons for being there. As he resolved to give up and hope he was more alone tomorrow, the guys got up from the table and headed into the kitchenette. Coffee break and lucky break Nate decided as he quickly headed through the automatic doors. If he had of waited a few seconds and glanced over his shoulder he would have seen Kensi go to the hand rail her phone still in hand and look over in time to see Callen reappear and look up at her and shake his head. They were torn between exasperated and entertained.


	7. Chapter 7

Strange Times – by Charmaps

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

Sorry for the delay in updating. Student life occasionally gets in the way! Don't like assessments...

Chapter 7 – The Phone Call

In the ops centre Nate headed straight to Birch's bench space. Downstairs Sam and Callen were talking down Eric who was not happy that Nate was in his area and he could not be there. Eric was arguing that Nate could not tell an IP address from a serial port and he could do all kinds of damage whilst in there if he tried to use the computers.

Birch's bench was sparse, no personal items of any kind, unusual in this area as all the other desks had personalised items. The draws were full of electrical items and tools most of which Nate could not name. Nothing personal anywhere in the area, but lots of spaces like things had been there.

The bottom draw had a storage tray inside it organised into three sections, each section was missing a few pieces. Nate did recognise these. Button cameras, button mic's and GPS transmitters. He had a very strong feeling that come Monday Birch would not arrive for his interview, or work for that matter.

As he closed the draw he saw the edge of something out of place. It took Nate a minute using a screwdriver, a tool he could name, to free the piece of paper. A sticky note came free in his hand on it was written,

Emily, Cafe, 20.45

It was a hastily written note, very sloppy rushed handwriting. This indicated to Nate that the details on the note were a passing concern and not the focus of his thoughts when he wrote this note, most likely the cause of the meeting was on his mind.

Emily was also the name of the third person on his list.

She was a relatively new employee, young, impressionable and very eager to please. She had come to his initial attention as her work was becoming more erratic and she was repeatedly late for work or absent. The concern was that the NCIS OSP was not suitable for her, too stressful. Nate was supposed to evaluate her too this end and recommend if he thought she would adjust or if she was best reassigned to another office. Her change in behaviour could also be explained by stress.

He had talked to Emily on a couple of occasions when he needed her research. Nothing memorable came to mind other then she was very conscious of her appearance.

Not thinking about who might see him leave Nate headed straight out of the ops centre and to his office. Back in his office he saw that he had three more missed calls on his phone still no number.

He sat down and brought up Birch's file again. The bench area had been cleared of all personal items in a rush if the state of the draws were anything to go by. His file said he was a compulsive man, things had to be ordered and he would not off left his desk in that state. The main door log said he had left at 3.27pm on Friday. Early considering his usual tendencies to work late. The time of his departure coincided with Nate being on his way back to LA.

Nate still had to look around Emily Shaw's area downstairs but as Gibbs would put it, his gut was telling him Birch was his big LA link.

Now he had to find out if the link led to Callen if it did then he could get mama bear Sam off his ass and onto Callen's. The director had told him that if he could prove the Callen theory he had then he could include the rest of the team in what was going on.

Claudice had asked too many questions about Callen. She wanted to know his routines, behaviours and weaknesses. She was looking for something to use against him. She thought he was an average man. Nate smirked to himself. Callen was not average not answering her questions had been painfully, but truthfully it was not like he could of there were no answers. No that he would of ever let her know that.

Nate contemplated his options. He needed to look over Emily's desk and more importantly the behaviour of the team was starting to play on his mind.

He had ignored their lack of interest in him today though it had been nagging at him. Now it was crashing into his thoughts. What was he missing? He figured they were probably trying reverse psychology on him, doing the opposite of what he expected so he would give some things away. He had to hand it to them it was working.

On a hunch Nate turned back to his computer and went through open cases looking for ones that listed both Birch and Emily as working on them.

17 came up but only 5 had remarkable contributions by Birch and Emily. 3 of them were long term surveillance ops, the other 2 were more interesting, one was a information gathering exercise at a naval base with an overly high rate of drug related problems. It was believed there was a dealer operating and manipulating on the base.

The case that caught his attention though and matched with the information Nate had gathered from Claudice in DC though was a partially active one. Callen and Sam had made the arrests on the case and now they were just writing reports and finishing up the details. It had been a case of arms smuggling. A sloppy ring, with far more offshoots then usual. Every arrest was leading to more information and more arrests. A continuous cycle. The arrests had been handed off to other offices once it became apparent that there was no bigger theme going on.

Callen and the team had moved on and finished their involvement in the case. During the week Nate noticed, guess the team had been productive with the time given to them by the cancellation of the evaluations. Guiltily he realised they were spending a rare totally free weekend 'observing' him. Babysitting did not fit anymore. He had worked out where Kensi had been the whole time. Looking over his shoulder.

Downstairs in the bull pen Kensi was filling in Callen, Sam, Hetty and Eric on Nate's behaviour. She had not been able to see whose desks Nate had been going through on either occasion though the list of names they had she had narrowed down to 5. The two from the first area, three from Nate's second search as Kensi could only see the bench end Nate was interested in again and not the actual bench space. Eric following Hetty's unhappy order was checking out the five names discretely on a hand held interface. Nothing he had found meant anything to the team.

They did not know what Nate was looking for.

Her brief finished with his abandonment of all caution. He had obviously discovered something that troubled him in the ops centre. To Eric this meant that someone he worked closely with was not being entirely honest in his job. What had happened to Nate had been bad enough and he did not even know what that was. Now the trouble was closer to home.

Hetty was working out that if Nate was going through desks then she had a bad apple in her office. This was not sitting any better then the fact she was getting kept out of the loop. She thought a lot of Dr Getz and his abilities as a psychologist but he was logical and often to empathic to those he helped or profiled. In short he cared too much to be an unbiased investigator. He wanted to fix people, it was why he was so good at what he did.

"So what's going on? Is Nate investigating our own staff? Are we next?" Kensi asked voicing what every one was thinking.

"It seems more targeted Kens." Callen replied. "How does it fit into what happened in DC? We are missing a big piece of the puzzle".

"We need him to give away how he got hurt. Names to start with instead of speculate with would be good" Sam interjected into the conversation. "You found anything Eric?"

"Still running the information on the names you gave me looking for any abnormalities" Eric replied not looking up. "If I knew what I was looking for it would be helpful".

"So what do we know?" Hetty asked.

"Nate went to DC, came back beaten, no-one is saying how or why. He is dealing directly with 'Leon'. Nate is confined to the office, so we can assume someone wants to get hold of him, most likely again. He is trying to look over the work areas of staff. He is shaken, letting us play him longer then he would if he was thinking straight. Not much else". Callen counted off on his fingers as he spoke to emphasis that they knew nothing really helpful. "And we are voluntarily spending a paper-work free weekend in the office when we could be relaxing".

At this statement everyone looked at Callen. He did not do relaxing. He was frustrated with the situation and it was showing.

As the group talked, Eric worked away on the computer hoping to find anything to give them a new break. He had gone back to looking up Nate's time in DC deciding to start a new tactic. He was looking for any APB's or BOLO's issued by NCIS whilst Nate had been there. Suddenly the hand held device was snatched from his hands by Callen who placed it in his lap under the table. Before he could do anything more then appear puzzled he noticed everyone looking over his shoulder and smiling. Nate was coming downstairs he guessed.

"Is there any more coffee and pain killers?" Nate asked, confirming Eric's suspicion.

"Sure, I'll get it for you" Kensi said as she got up and headed into the kitchen, Hetty got up too and went to her office where she kept the tablets locked up.

Nate however strolled towards Emily's works bench in the area occupied by the researchers. Purposefully not getting close enough to show which desk he was interested in and making sure to appear like he was giving equal time to all. In reality he was only noticing Emily's desk. Again it looked like it lacked personalisation and had been left in a hurry. He doubted she would show Monday either.

Done with his look over he slowly walked back towards the others, his hands in his pockets to hide the slight tremors and sat in a vacant chair next to Sam. He was ready to sleep again and he really needed the pain killers.

"What you talking about?" Nate asked taking his hands out of his pockets and placing his mobile on the table in front of him. He was still waiting to find out who had been trying to call him.

He had been given a new number in DC. Only Gibbs' team and Vance had the number as far as he knew.

He did not think the team knew he had a new number. He should tell them he knew but did not feel like playing nice since he had clocked that he had been under surveillance all day. He was more annoyed with himself for getting followed like that but felt he had the right to be upset with the others in equal measure.

Callen and Sam exchanged looks with Eric they were all a little unsure of what to say. Nate was acting very commanding, his posture was assertive, his tone authoritative not faltering and he was staring them down. Before they had time to come up with a reply Hetty and Kensi arrived back with coffee, water and tablets.

Nate took the offerings with a Thank you and set about devouring the tablets and water in one swallow. The coffee he set about slower waiting for it to cool. Still decaf another thing annoying him.

"Should have stayed in my office, got real coffee on the go in there" Nate snipped. Still making prolonged eye contact with any ones who eyes he could catch. Back in his office he had worked out, admittedly a little late, that his path was too clear and the mass exodus to the kitchen when he needed to get into the ops centre too convenient. Kensi had no been in the ladies room she had been watching him. Question was how much had they worked out?

"So what were you talking about?" Nate asked again. "Me?"

"Yeah, you" Sam replied.

"You should all go home. Not that I don't appreciate the concern, but I'm not going anywhere and I know you don't have anything to do here".

"Sure we do it's dinner time" Callen filled in the silence Nate's last statement had left hanging.

"Eat in, what do we want tonight, Mexican? Japanese?" Eric asked. He was the king of ordering food. He looked around for another portable interface as his was still in Callen's lap. Reaching for it he decided could end painfully.

"How about eat out" quipped Nate. "We could go to Lorenzo's". Knowing they would never let him out made him push the boundaries.

"Not happening" replied Sam meeting Nate's stare and holding it.

"Bring me back a lasagne then, the spinach one". Nate replied with a grin that did not reach his eyes.

"Eric arrange an order from Lorenzo's, get some more beers as well. Nate finished off most of the fridge last night". Callen directed this statement at Eric never taking his eyes off Nate. If he wanted to change the rules of engagement then they could play along.

So much for the softly softly cornering of Nate. He was biting back.

Eric mock saluted the group around the table and headed out of the door. Usually the order would be handed out to one of Hetty's runners but as it was Saturday there was no-one around and it came down to Eric. He would phone through the order from the car and then collect.

Nate took a moment to reply, the comment about the beers cleared up last night's mystery. Note to self, Nate thought, don't trust Callen near my beer.

"You guys aren't going to let up are you?" Nate asked cocking his head to the side and aiming his stare directly at Callen.

"Nope, what was so interesting over there?" Callen asked, jerking his head in the general direction of the researchers desks Nate had just gone over.

"Pretty desks" Nate replied.

"Like the ones in the offices upstairs and the ops centre" Kensi asked drawing his attention.

Nate never replied. He looked exhausted and on the edge of pouting.

"I don't like mysteries in my house Mr Getz. What. Is. Going. On?" Asked Hetty in a very forceful tone.

Before Nate could answer Hetty his phone rang again. The screen read caller ID withheld. Curious Nate answered the phone.

"Dr Getz"

A female voice that Nate recognised answered him. "Finally. Don't say anything or your pretty friend in the flip flops won't be coming back inside. My friend will see to that. You need to go to the south quay mall. On your own, I will find you there. You have one hour." and with that the call disconnected.

Nate looked down at the phone in his hand, his mind racing; sure his face would give him away if he looked at the others. If he was not walking out of the building then Eric was going to be killed. Claudice would have him killed. She also had an obsession with only telling the truth. She sadistically delighted herself in only doing what she said she would. If Nate left now and was seen Eric would be safe. In a way it was a very powerful manipulative tool.

"Nate" Sam prompted. The others were shifting in their seats leaning towards Nate. They knew something was up.

Still not looking at the others Nate got up and paced considering his options. He could tell the team what was going on, they would get Eric straight back but that would give the game away. Eric would be killed soon as he turned around or picked up his phone. Second was to go to the mall she had named and play it from there. Rely on the teams relentless surveillance. He looked at the clock it was almost seven in the evening it would be getting dark soon.

"Nate" Sam repeated as he stood up and walked towards Nate. The movement by Sam seemed to spur Nate into action. Nate backed away from Sam thinking frantically.

He had decided on option two. Do what Claudice wanted. That meant lying. Knowing how stupid he was being and thinking that as it was to save Eric and he would be forgiven he suddenly headed to the sofa.

"That was Gibbs, Claudice is dead, I'm going home" Nate said and before anyone could argue or question him he grabbed his jacket off the back of the sofa where it had been since the team sorted him out the night before. He felt the keys in the pocket said a small prayer of gratitude and headed for the door. As he got near the door Hetty tried to intercept him. She wanted answers.

"Mr Getz a word please". Hetty said.

"I don't have time right now, Hetty. Please leave me alone" and with that he was out the door without breaking his long pace. He missed the comedy of Hetty running to keep up with his long strides. The others watching did not. She was going to get him for that at a later date.


	8. Chapter 8

**Strange Times – by Charmaps**

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

I apologise up front if this has a few errors, have read it through but I do miss errors when it is my own work. Enjoy anyway.

LostForeverInHisEyes – Thank you for all the reviews hope you are still enjoying. Trying to be true to the characters and the family bond.

Odd-in-many-ways – Seven in one go very brave, hope you enjoy this one.

Jaina Fel – Think Callen will make Gibbs feel his pain for letting Nate get hurt...

**Chapter 8 – At the Mall**

Nate hurried to his car, worried that the others would follow. He fumbled with his keys before starting the car and pulling away. Belatedly he realised that he was not sure where the mall was. He finally decided which way to go and set off towards Claudice. His phone rang again and he answered it.

"Well done, your friend is safe, take the battery out of your phone" She said then hung up.

Nate kept driving as he did as instructed, the team did not know his new number so there was no gain in not removing the battery. By the time they got the details from Gibbs it would be too late. Furiously thinking of what to do next to sort this mess, he considered what he knew. He assumed that the 'friend' was now following him, he could only go to the mall and he could not stop anywhere to make a call from a payphone. The friend had to be Birch or Emily he thought. Most likely Birch he decided. Emily was most likely the controlled party in that relationship, needed but not trusted or relied on.

At least he would most likely recognise the friend if he saw them in his rear view mirror.

_**Back in the office...**_

"Strange" Sam said to no-one in particular watching the space where Nate had just disappeared.

"Do you think it's true? Seemed a bit strange to me" Kensi supplied.

"Very strange", Callen agreed. "I think we should make sure he gets home safely. Sam?"

"Couldn't agree more" Sam said following Callen towards the door and signalling Kensi to stay and head up to the ops centre. She knew the rest of the instruction without prompt. Electronically check on Nate, GPS and phone.

As Nate was not an agent his car, not the newest thing on the road, did not have a GPS locator. But his phone did. Unfortunately it took Kensi about 60 seconds longer then it would have taken Eric to discover that the number they thought was Nate's was no longer active. Sam and Callen took a few minutes longer to realise that if Nate was going home he was not taking the direct route.

By the time Eric got back with dinner and found Hetty and Kensi on his computer Sam and Callen had got to Nate's and were waiting outside for him to get home. They should have caught up with him on route. Something was wrong.

"Any ideas? I don't think Nate's coming home" Sam asked over the communication link.

"I have kaleidoscope looking for Nate's car" Eric put in.

"Let us now if anything shows up" Callen said, "We are going to hang here till we know where he is in case he shows up."

"How about trying Gibbs again Callen. Nate gave us a name if it's all done they can talk now" Kensi put in. Hetty voiced her agreement as well, saying she would call Vance.

Callen pulled out his mobile and placed the call to Gibbs whilst the others kept talking.

When Gibbs picked up Callen quickly told him not to hang up and then asked directly how Candice had died. There was a silence on the other end then Gibbs spoke.

"Dead? What you talking about G, Nate should not have given you a name".

"Didn't you just ring him and tell him she was dead?" Callen asked.

"Put him on the phone G" Gibbs instructed sounding as annoyed as he ever could.

"That could be a problem" Callen said then paused "We don't know where he is".

"You what?" There was a pause during which Callen was sure woodworking hand tools were being dropped or thrown. "I'll call you back. Find him, he's in trouble G".

Next to Callen Sam had finished the conversation and the team were all waiting on what Gibbs had said.

"He lied, someone else rang him, and we need to find them or him". Callen said. "Any leads on a phone number or his car?"

"Got a number from the director" Kensi replied "but Eric can't trace it, he must of switched it off."

"Let us know if it comes back on. Can you trace the last call it received?" Sam asked

"Satellite number, still working on it." Eric replied sounding stressed. He was gone barely twenty minutes and the whole situation was turned on it's head when he got back. Not that he had liked it any better the other way up, but at least that way up it was stable and everyone was home.

Hetty re-entered the ops centre looking very upset. Her short conversation with director Vance had gone about as well as Callen's talk with Gibbs.

"We just let Nate walk out of here, lying to us and probably into harm. More harm anyhow." Hetty stated, very succinctly. "What do we have Mr Callen?"

_**Back to Nate…**_

By the time Nate arrived at the Mall he had decided a few things.

Firstly, based on what little he had worked out in the office and from Claudice's questions in DC it had to be a case involving Callen, Birch and Emily. Either the weapons smuggling or the drug situation on base were the most likely candidates. The smuggling was still the most likely he decided. Candice had to be something to do with the ring. It had so many off shoots how she was involved was anyone's guess. He was having trouble linking this to her interest in Callen but she had an overriding one and Nate was sure that there was a history there. One that put Callen in danger.

Secondly he had a partial plan formed, based on a battle of wits and stalling till the back-up arrived and put Claudice behind bars where she belonged. In DC she had had control but now they were playing in his comfort zone. What had happened in DC was not going to happen here.

Thirdly Nate had to work out where Birch was, he had not seen him during his drive here and also to find out how Emily fit. Was she a willing accomplice or being coerced, she could be useful.

Fourthly he decided, he was really starting to dislike Claudice.

Nate pulled his car up next to the entrance to the mall. Purposefully parking close for a quick getaway if necessary. On his way over he had tried to break a few speed limits and run a few red lights. He was banking on his car being looked for by kaleidoscope. Eric was nothing if not reliable and brilliant.

Unsure of what to do next, Nate stiffly got out of his car ignoring the looks he was getting for his parking and personal state and walked into the mall. It was a medium sized older mall, losing out to the bigger newer ones that had opened a few blocks away. It had a lot of mama and papa stores and some of the smaller chains as well as the usual fast food outlets and a Macey's.

Deciding to act like he really did not care about Claudice's schedule or plans, Nate made his way to the food court and joined a short looking queue. All the while looking around himself for any sign of a face he recognized.

"Sir, what can I get you?" The voice caught Nate's attention and he realised he had been so busy looking around that he had missed getting to the front of the queue and being asked for his order at least once.

"Sir, what would you like?" the girl asked again. Louder this time attracting the attention of the surrounding diners.

"Two hot dogs with everything and two coffees" a voice next to him said. Claudice.

Without making eye contact Nate waited out the order and paid. He was defiantly getting some strange looks. With the order in her hands Claudice prompted Nate in the direction of a table apart from any other diners. It was late and the mall was relatively quiet.

"Your friend's in danger and you head for food instead of me. I am disappointed in you Nate, I thought better of you then that." Claudice scolded like she was talking to a child.

Nate did not reply. Instead he concentrated on his food and coffee. He had no appetite but he needed to stall. He was sure by now that his car had been located by Eric and the team were closing in on him. He did not care how mad they were with him, he was going to be the happiest man alive when they arrived.

Claudice watched Nate concentrating on his food and acting as though she was not there and occupying all his thoughts. His coordination was off, he was having difficulty picking up his food and keeping hold of it. His hands were covered in more onions and mustard then he was managing to hold. Maybe they had done more damage 'chatting' to him then they realized. This was bad she needed him to have a clear head. If he didn't how could she get to Callen.

She tried one more time to talk to him and he finally looked up and met her gaze. His eyes were unfocused he was aware of his situation but not comprehending it. His gaze was bloodshot and unfocused. She realised getting anything out of him was going to be difficult in the present situation. He was on auto pilot. He had driven here to save Eric and it had taken the last of his energy and control.

She reached across the table about to shake him when her phone beeped.

**He's here**

Roughly she shook Nate's shoulder rousing him and for a moment his gaze cleared and his expression said that he realized he was in trouble. His mouth opened when his gaze moved to the gun, made bigger by the silencer, leveled at his chest.

"Do what I say".

_**Outside the mall…**_

Two vehicles pulled up alongside Nate's abandoned car. Sam and Callen quickly moved out of one whilst the other idled. On Callen's signal Kensi pulled away again and parked near the only car park exit whilst Callen and Sam gave the abandoned car a one over before heading into the mall. They walked as discretely as possible, ready to go for their weapons but otherwise not attracting attention. It was getting late and close to shops closing. The mall was relatively quiet which would make spotting the 6ft operational psychologist easier.

"Eric have you got the security footage yet?" Callen asked over coms.

"Got it, can't see Nate?" Eric replied.

"Keep looking. You go up and I'll take this level" Callen said to Sam. With a nod they separated and started looking for Nate. They wanted to get him safe, find out what the hell was going on and then give him a big piece of their minds. Not necessarily in that order.

"Food court, he is sat at a table by the escalators with a women. Red hair, blue blouse" Eric practically yelled deafening the rest of the team almost.

There was silence on coms as Callen and Sam independently made their ways to the food court, it was only broken by Hetty's quip of "tragic clothes sense, Nate must off worked a number on her to."

Eric glanced over his shoulder, deciding if he had just heard that statement before returning his concentration to the monitors and the team he could see Callen and Sam closing in the food court tables. And Nate's table, Nate's empty table. "Crap".

"Eric I don't see Nate or the woman" Sam said "Eric" he repeated when he got no response.

"Looking, I can't find him."

"Which way did they go?" Callen asked. On his screen Eric could see the duo he was talking to and the empty table but Nate was nowhere he could find on any of the cameras.

"This is so not good" Eric said furiously scanning all the feeds for Nate or the woman.

"What's happening?" Kensi asked over coms.

"We've lost Nate" Callen replied

"How"

"Eric?" Sam asked, he was annoyed that Eric did not know where Nate and Claudice went.

"I only looked away for a moment then they were gone, I am going through all the other cam... wait a minute, that's Birch, what's he doing there?" Eric closed the image in on Birch and followed him whilst giving instructions to Callen and Sam to intercept him.

As they left the food court Sam slowed for a moment his attention caught momentarily. Half way down the escalator they realised Birch was stood waiting for them and he made no move to run as they approached.

Unsure as to his role in all this they slowed as they approached Birch ready for whatever he had planned. What they did not expect was his forehead to explode as he crumpled to the floor. Dead.

He had been a distraction, an expendable one.

Another twenty minutes and they were still at a loss for where Nate was. They had a dead tech guy and no leads.

"I need to speak to Gibbs again" Callen said as he headed back to the vehicles. Sam started to follow when remembered the food court. He turned on his heel and sprinted up to the food court. Callen took a moment to realise that his partner was missing and he also turned on his heel and headed in the same direction as Sam. Kensi had seen their sudden change of direction from the entrance and followed.

As Callen hurried after Sam up the escalator his phone started ringing. Gibbs showed on the caller ID.

"Talk to me" Callen greeted at a loss for what else to say. He doubted either of them had good news to tell the other and he wanted as much from Gibbs as he could get before he broke his bad news.

When Kensi arrived at the food court she found Sam looking intently at a plastic chair glistening with blood. Nate's jacket was on the floor next to the chair. Just when it could not get worse she saw the bullet hole in the chair.


	9. Chapter 9

**Strange Times – by Charmaps**

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

I apologise up front if this has a few errors, Also for such a long delay have been unwell and life really getting hectic, finish university this year then life should settle down!

Is a short chapter but next one nearly complete so no more long delays. Fingers crossed!

**Chapter 9 – You want to what?**

Nate followed Claudice through the service corridors. He had his right hand across his abdomen putting pressure on the flesh wound that Claudice had shot into his left side. The sudden pain had kick started his adrenaline and he was thinking more clearly again. Behind him Emily was following holding a gun to his back. Nate was very quickly working out that he had got her all wrong. Especially after she announced Birch was dead.

Claudice had told him to distract Callen with a pre-prepared story she had concocted. Really it had been with the intention of causing a distraction to aid their getaway and to also get rid of a liability. Once close enough to Callen she had killed Birch. A message to the other agents looking for Nate that it could off been them.

Birch had thought too much of himself, wanted to be her equal in this plan. Not an obedient underling like she needed. Emily though was proving to be useful, obedient and ambitious but in a sensible way. She apparently saw a future working for Claudice not anything more then paid help. Well paid help.

Nate weighed up his situation. He was a hostage again. Claudice as before was well armed and well planned. Emily was an unknown at the moment she was not friend but he was not sure if she was really foe.

"So Emily what does it take to make a good girl like you turn killer, really didn't see that coming" Nate asked conversationally.

He was mentally counting off the doors they had passed since entering these old works tunnels. It was a maze down here. Obviously it had been part of something else before the mall was constructed. He wanted to guess old water works or sewage something but really did not know enough about that kind of stuff to even guess.

Emily did not answer his question. Instead Claudice did, again like she was talking to a small child. "Intelligence and money. What will it take for you to tell me how to coerce special Agent G Callen? I need his special talents and he just won't work for me voluntarily. No ambition that one."

The words hung in the air for a moment before Nate responded. "You want to what?" Nate said when he did before laughing for the first time in a week. The idea of anyone coercing Callen really struck a cord on his sense of humour. It was the most inappropriate time and was painfull but he could not stop himself. "No pleasantries with the baseball bat, just that?" Nate asked between gasps for breath "What will it take to achieve the unachievable? Claudice you disappoint and amuse me."

"Tell me what I want and we won't get to the baseball bat" She countered.

Nate just smiled at and stopped walking. With the exception of Eric he had crossed the line with all the people he should not of so now it was time to cross the line with someone he should. He needed to stall.

He knew the team would be close looking for him. Emily bumped into his back before she had time to stop herself and lost her balance. Nate seizing the opportunity brought his elbow into hard contact with the side of her head and tried to take her gun, the already unbalanced woman fell taking Nate with her and dropping her gun out of both their reaches. Before he could climb over Emily and reach the object he was shocked by the firing of Caudices' gun close enough to his head for him to feel the air disrupted in the wake of the bullet.

Nate stilled, a bullet that close to his head had a sobering effect. He had known Claudice meant business now he understood.

"On your feet both of you, and you" she said looking directly down on Nate "no more funny business."

Slowly the battered man unfolded himself back upto his full height before walking after Claudice again, this time with Emily a few steps further behind. She was not going to get caught out twice. This time however he started leaning on the wall every few yards struggling for balance and energy apparently. Neither woman moved to help him or commented on the new habit.

"So tell me Claudice" Nate said as they stopped at a door that looked no different to any of the others and Claudice opened it "what is it you want to coerce Callen to do for you?" Behind the door was a long metal staircase going down into darkness, sewers he assumed by the smell. Claudice did not respond just indicated with a head jerk that he should go first. Nate sighed, hoped she had a flashlight and using the door for support slipped past Claudice and started down the staircase.

Neither woman noticed the bloody handprint on the door as they shut it behind them and with the aid of flashlights followed Nate down into the dark.

Just like they had failed to notice all the other bloody hand prints back up the corridors.

Like a breadcrumb trail.


	10. Chapter 10

**Strange Times – by Charmaps**

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

So there was another long delay and another short chapter, Sorry. Have got the rest of the story plotted and roughly written, it's the making it readable part...

**Chapter 10 – Sitting on crates of explosives...**

**Back in the mall...**

"They went through the service entrance behind the burger stand" Eric said over the coms, he was desperately trying to make up for his momentary loos of concentration. Hetty equally feeling responsible for distracting the young man was practically sitting on his shoulder as they both reviewed footage to see where Nate had gone. The door had been barely five feet from the table that Claudice had led Nate too. This was all planned out.

The three agents hurried up to the food court again from their location downstairs where Kensi and Sam were dealing with local police regarding the dead man with a hole in his head whilst Callen was on the phone with Gibbs.

"Go home" Callen growled into his phone getting the attention of all those close by. Sam and Kensi approached the lead agent. Cautiously, he looked irked. "Nate has probably been shot, is well out of his depth and you want us to go home" he practically spat into the phone in a tone of total disbelief.

"No he can't" the one sided conversation continued. Kensi and Sam could not hear Gibbs' side but they were sure they were getting called off.

After another half minute of Callen arguing back the phone conversation ended. Abruptly.

"Vance is about to call Hetty and have us stood down" Callen announced.

As if on cue Hetty announced over coms that she would like them to return to base. A request not an order. "The corridors were part of an old sewage works system and a man could get lost in them very quickly without torches and caution" she explained. Not waiting to be told twice Kensi dashed off to the vehicles to retrieve torches and other supplies. Whilst Sam and Callen both lamented bad com signals and entered the corridors.

When Kensi returned she found them waiting for her just in the entrance deciding which way to go. The dust appeared disturbed in one direction and so they started that way cautiously and quietly with the torches guiding them.

**Back to Nate...**

At the bottom of the staircase Nate had been brought up short by a small stash of arms. Nothing big just hand guns, grenades and riffles. He had read about missile launchers and the likes on his computer and felt almost disappointed that the 'big' stuff was absent whilst decidedly relieved as well.

Unsure where to go he waited for instructions. The food and coffee along with the pain relief Hetty had given him were kicking in and he guessed he was feeling as good as he was going to whilst still putting on the affect of dopy and confused as best as he could. His little attempt to throw Emily had done him no favours and ruined his total element of surprise. Not to mention the landing on the concrete floor had done nothing for his aching bruises.

"Have a seat Dr Getz, you look like you need it" Claudice said pointing at a crate labelled explosives – Danger. Not his first choice of seating arrangements but Nate complied anyway. She was not about to blow herself and Emily up even if she intended to blow him up. He was safe while she was close. Now there was an irony. Nate smiled wryly to himself.

"Something you want to share Doctor?" Claudice asked noticing his smile. He was defiantly a strange man. If only she could of got the female agent. That would of been leverage and whilst she may not know as much, or how to use it like Nate did, she would still know some good stuff about agent Callen".

"No nothing to share, just waiting" Nate replied after a moment.

"If you are waiting for your rescue, you best settle in for a long wait and cover your ears" Claudice said enigmatically.

Worried by the implications of loud noises, which Nate could only assume meant explosives given his current predicament, Nate continued to smile good naturedly, it seemed to annoy her which was a good reason for him, and hid his worry and most of his curiosity.

"Tell me why we are just waiting? Why do you want to manipulate Callen? You seem to be going to strange and stupid lengths to get to him?" Nate asked, it always worked on TV. The baddie always gave up their plan and all their reasoning right before the final act. The one that upset all their planning and made everything right, Nate thought then decided he needed to change his TV watching after this too.

**Meanwhile in the tunnel...**

It had not taken the three agents long to find the trail of handprints and in short time they were standing beside the door to the staircase that Claudice had taken Nate down. Unsure of what was behind the door they were being cautious.

Sam was examining the door carefully as was Callen while Kensi kept an eye out for any company.

It did not take the Ex Navy Seal long to find the signs of the bobby trap explosives, unfortunately it was a catch 22. In order to disarm the trap that would be set off by the door opening they needed to open the door.

"Damn" said the frustrated Sam, "She knows her explosives, only way through this door is loudly".

The three exchanged glances. Unsure what to do next they set about planning whilst they set Eric and Hetty about finding them another route and the most likely exit point for Claudice and company.


	11. Chapter 11

**Strange Times – by Charmaps**

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

**Chapter 11 – Revelations and Tantrums**

Claudice was pacing and this made Nate nervous, whilst she was turning out to be a very controlled person she was defiantly only in control on her terms of understanding. In the ten minutes since Nate had asked her what her plans were she had paced, stomped, had a loud conversation with someone Nate, and apparently Emily also, could not see and she had kind of cried. More out of frustration then any real emotion Nate felt, but he was going to keep that to himself.

Announcing to the woman that was holding you at gun point, whilst sat on a crate labelled danger – explosives, that you thought she was unhinged and should seek more institutionalised psychological help might not be the healthiest thing he had done in the last week.

Emily, obviously unsettled by the sudden change in the demeanour of her cool and calm leader, was now stood closer to Nate then Claudice, though not in elbow range; Nate could not call her dumb even with her dubious choice of career change. She had gone from a promising role at the NCIS special operations office to killer on demand and lackey to a seemingly unhinged would be super-villain.

Nate was starting to think he was trapped in a low budget spy movie; nothing was quite real anymore, not that that was anything he would say out loud either. He did not feel Claudice deserved company on the way to a state facility for the unhinged! Or wherever it was Hetty was going to send her when this was over.

"Emily?" Nate asked cautiously both trying to get her attention and convey the 'what the hell is going on? question. After a moment Emily made eye-contact with him and then immediately looked away. In that moment Nate felt sorry for her, she was realising she had made bad choices and was blindly following a woman who was not turning out to be who Emily thought she would be. Nate wondered where her attachment issues steamed from. He vaguely remembered from her file that he mother only loosely deserved the term.

Emily in turn was contemplating Nate and her situation. Emily did not know why they had stopped here instead of continuing to meet the men that were waiting for them at the exit point Claudice had decided on. Once they had Nate again the plan was to keep him and try a different tactic, many miles from any rescue bids, to get the information they needed and start the coercion of Callen.

Though misguided Emily was not blind she knew when things were not going to plan and that it was badly not to plan. As she opened her mouth to respond to the doctor Claudice starting her stomping tantrum again shrilly yelling at someone only she knew was there. Emily guessed that Claudice had an earwig of her own in and was having a conversation with the man Emily did not know. She felt that had they left she would not of made it out alive anyway.

The interruption made Emily jump and before she realised it she had moved alongside Nate who had stood up at the sudden noise and together they were backing away from the screaming woman. Nate had one hand on her left shoulder and one on her right waist as he pulled her close to him. If Emily had of thought about it she would off realised her mistake.

**Meanwhile back at ops...**

"That's the only way I can see" Eric replied again trying not to sound exasperated with the highly agitated agents. Didn't they know he did not like the situation anymore than they did. Yelling at him might help them but it did nothing for Eric. This was turning into a far too long weekend. He was supposed to have been competing and defending his title at a surf competition. Not learning to abseil against his will, go on food runs, see a friend hurting and basically get an earful because he did not have the answers Callen, Sam and Kensi wanted to hear.

For the last 12 minutes he had been trying to find a way round the bobby trapped door but it was becoming apparent that aside from a staircase the other side he was going to find no more information about the space and therefore not be able to find a confirmed way round for the agents. The best he could do was speculating where there might be connections. It had been decided the team would split up. Sam stayed at the door in case they came back or inspiration struck him. Callen had told him quite firmly that kicking the door down with frustration was not an option. Kensi and Callen had then headed off in the direction given to them by Eric.

Whilst Eric was guiding the two agents hopefully in the best direction, Hetty had been reviewing traffic camera footage from around the time of Nate's departure from the office. What she saw made her grimace.

Eric became aware of his boss staring at him intently, before he could comment she slid down from her chair and crossed to Eric and gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze before announcing "I think I understand Nate's reason for departing as he did".

"This had better be good" came Sam's response over the coms.

"It appears that when Eric left for food that he had company. You were followed by David Birch. Only when Nate left and picked up his tail, Emily, did Birch stop following you. He then went to the mall following Nate" Hetty paused to let the implications set in. " It appears that your safety was all the coercion it took Nate to leave abruptly" Hetty concluded speaking directly to Eric.

Eric literally felt his stomach turn, had they planned on kidnapping him too, or worse, if Nate did not comply. He could not decide what he wanted to do more, smack Nate for being so stupid for him or hug Nate for saving him. Who knew the awkward, clutzy operational psychologist would turn out to be such a hero! Not Eric that was for sure he felt slightly guilty for not thinking enough of his friend.

Hetty, seemingly reading Eric's mind said simply, "Let's get him back shall we?"

Eric nodded not wanting to speak around the lump in his throat and turned back to his computers, a whole new sense of purpose rushing through him along with fear at how close he had come to getting hurt too.

"I know what I have not tried" he mumbled as he wheeled across the room intent on another monitor narrowly missing Hetty's toes. She merely smiled knowing if anyone was, then Eric was going to find a way to get the team to Nate.

On the other end of the coms the three agents had gone silent thinking about Nate's situation; they all knew they would have done the same exact thing. Did not make them and less annoyed that Nate had done it. Sam smiled to himself quietly proud that the doctor had done what he had done. Callen and Kensi exchanged glances reflecting each other's relief that Eric had not been caught up physically in the situation and resolve to tie Nate to his office chair and define the term sharing to him explicitly. With a few words this situation could be very different. A simple Eric's in trouble let me go would have been sufficient. Or maybe not. They knew they would have tried to go after Eric and this would have cost them him most likely. Maybe Nate made the right call. That conclusion frustrated Callen more than any. If he made the right call why was he so annoyed with him? Damn he might have to admit that he actually was fond of the overgrown psychologist when all this was over.

**Back to Nate...**

Unaware of the clarifying revelations being worked through outside of his new prison Nate continued to hold Emily in front of him whilst Claudice paced and ranted about vans and promises. It seemed to Nate that she was being let down by someone and she clearly did not take disappointment well. As best as he could tell her escape plans had been scuppered and she had been hung out to dry by another accomplice he knew nothing about. Other then he liked him or her more by the moment.

Nate stood still and let the situation unfold in front of him, trying to appear calm, he felt Emily relaxing in his grip and took stock of the situation deciding how best to make his plan work. He would only get one go at it and did not feel a hundred percent confident, he had practically no actual hands on gun use experience. After this he was going to beg Kensi to take him through a few things on the firing range.

Once Emily arms were relaxed and her attention was completely consumed by the show of Claudice unfolding in front of her, Claudice was now hitting the wall and kicking it, her knuckles were starting to bleed and she showed no sign of stopping, Nate took his opportunity, grabbed Emily's revolver from the small of her back, shoved her to the ground hastily pulled the little lever back that he thought he should so he could fire and pressed the trigger with his eyes shut and praying ferverantly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Strange Times – by Charmaps**

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

Sorry the ghost part just came to me, may be a bit out of character but enjoy...

**Chapter 12 – Nate's a menace**

The noise from the shot reverberated around the small confines of the room they were all in. Claudice stopped her ranting and kicking, shocked back to the present by the shot whilst Nate stared dumbly at the gun in hand, already regretting the foolish act. Emily just rolled up in a ball on the ground and started crying, no help to anyone.

Claudice looked at the doctor; he really was turning into a right pain in the ass. In a heart beat she decided he was too much trouble, her getting out of here alive was her only concern. Emily could go as well she decided it looked like she had snapped. Pulling her own gun from her holster she turned to fire at the two problems when all became black.

In the moment between the shot and Claudice falling to the ground, that to Nate had felt like an eternity, two things had happened, one he had realised he had totally missed Claudice and secondly he realised he had shot the cable supporting the big steel beam that hung above Claudice. The woman never saw it falling.

Not wanting to try his sudden upturn in luck Nate grabbed Emily's flashlight and bolted straight up the stairs he had come down and towards the bobby trapped door.

**Back outside...**

"Gunshot fired" Sam hissed over the coms. He contemplated the door and the corridor. He did not know what type of explosive was on the back of the door or if he would have time to kick the door and dive for cover before the explosion followed through. As if reading his mind Callen's voice came back to him.

"Don't do it Sam you could make things worse not better, Kensi and I are nearly to the corridor Eric thinks will intercept with them".

"It was just one shot, we need" Sam started to reply knowing all too well what he was implicating. Had Nate been shot?

He was quieted by a moan, unsure of where it came from he spun around looking both ways down the corridor. There it was again, a quiet raspy noise. Sam did not believe in ghosts, or so he claimed and reminded himself.

"Sam" came Kensi's panicked voice, she had expected the rest of the sentence not quiet. "Sam" she pressed when again she was greeted by silence.

"Shhh" Sam's voice said over the coms, "I'm not alone"

"What do you mean not alone" Callen asked ignoring Sam's request for quiet.

Again he heard the raspy groan, louder this time followed by a scrape and a soft thud.

"Eric" Sam asked feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end "Is this complex haunted?"

"H..H..Haunted" came the stammered reply. Obviously not the question he had ever expected to hear. "Umm let me look that up for you Sam".

"Sam what the hell is going on?" Callen asked wondering if Sam had been struck on the head whilst no-one was looking.

"I keep hearing groaning and scrapping" Sam clarified still looking up and down the corridor.

"Sam" came the raspy voice, close to Sam. The Ex-seal looked around him again his heart jumping into his throat.

"Who's there?" he asked. On the other end of the coms the rest of the team had decided apparently to stay quiet and see what played out. Kensi and Callen kept advancing following Eric's directions whilst Eric and Hetty waited expectantly for what would happen next in the ops centre.

"Who's there?" Sam asked again, this time louder.

"Sam" came his response, clearer this time. It was Nate's voice from the other side of the door.

The other side of the door...

"Nate the door's bobby trapped don't open it" Sam practically yelled making everyone attached to an earwig jump and curse.

"I can see that" Came Nate's aggrieved voice; they really did think he was stupid. "It's a couple of grenades attached to the handle mechanism by string. What should I do?"

"What does it look like will happen if you cut the string?" Sam asked.

"Nothing, its set to pull the pins when the handle goes down, I don't think cutting the string will do anything" Nate replied. Sam realised that the groaning had been Nate panting, he had obviously ran. His voice was still raspy and short of breath but he seemed with it.

"Can you cut the string?" Sam asked

Nate took a moment to reply. "No, nothing to cut it with".

Sam was contemplating trying to slide one of his knives under the door when Nate spoke up again. "I can untie it though, it's a simple knot, I could do better".

Sam had to laugh at the criticism of knot tying, what did Nate really know about knots? He was never a sailor as far as Sam knew.

"Sam what's going on?" asked Callen over coms. He and Kensi had stopped when they heard Sam start talking to Nate and were now waiting to find out the situation before they made their next move.

As Sam was about to answer the door opened and a very tired, red faced psychologist stepped out into the corridor leant back against a wall and slumped to the ground with a thud. That explained the thud noise. No ghosts. In his hand was the revolver. Sam guessed Nate had fired the shot that had been heard. After a split second of contemplating that he relieved the slumped man of the gun.

"I've got Nate" Sam announced. On the other end of the earwig he heard a lot of breaths being released. "Hetty wants a word with you" Sam said smugly to Nate. For a man who had not been smiling he still had the smile wiped off his face.

"Can't we give her Claudice instead?" asked Nate pointing out they were forgetting an important thing.

"Where is she?"asked Sam.

Instead of replying Nate simply pointed down the staircase, "She'll be no bother" he said simply.

"Stay" Sam said to Nate. Nate starred back with eyebrows raised, obviously not impressed about being talked to like a dog but thinking better of making any reply. Besides where did they think he was going to go?

"Callen where are you?" Sam asked as he cautiously made his way to the top step of the staircase and pointed his flashlight and gun down it. Nate might think she would be no bother but he would keep his own council on what bothered him.

"Just entering the corridor linking to the staircase" Callen replied. "Eric, good guess".

As Sam went down the staircase he saw flashlights across from him that were Callen's and Kensi's. All three of them made it to the wide area at the same time. On one side of the space was Emily rolled in a ball and quietly sniffling. In the middle were boxes of hand guns and explosives and on the other side another woman, presumably Claudice who was unconscious under a metal beam that had apparently been shot.

"Nice shot, not quite a double tap but the boy's got potential" Sam said surveying Nate's handiwork.

At Callen's bemused look Sam enlightened him "I think Nate took the shoot, I just relieved him of a hand gun"

"He shot" Callen replied "in a room full of explosives?"

The three agents looked around again taking in just how much explosive they had been in relatively close proximity too.

"We're lucky to be standing" quipped Sam.

"Nate's a menace" announced Kensi. There really was not much else to say.


	13. Chapter 13

**Strange Times – by Charmaps**

Disclaimer, I own nothing that you recognise...

**Chapter 13 – Doughnuts again...**

It was well into Sunday afternoon when the agents returned to headquarters sans Nate. Eric and Hetty were in the bull pen waiting for them. Greetings of nice job and details exchanged then together they reheated the food Eric had risked his life to fetch and ate a quiet meal before heading to their separate homes. Paperwork would still be there when they arrived for their late start the next day.

Nate and Claudice had been shipped off to hospitals separately. One stone cold unconscious and no trouble and the other trying to get off the gurney and being a nuisance on the trip to the ambulance.

"_Is Eric back at the office?" Nate had asked Callen again trying to undo the restrains the paramedics kept doing back up._

"_He's safe, we know he was tailed when he left" Sam replied helping Callen try to hold the squirming doctor down while the paramedics did up the restraints again. Even Callen was less trouble._

_Kensi was had taken Emily away separately. No trouble there._

"_She said she'd kill him if I did not leave right then" Nate said simply. The agents guessed it was the only apology they were going to get for his departure so they took it. It was a more then reasonable one._

"_We thought as much, now settle down or I'll have Hetty come down and give you medical attention instead" Callen responded this time._

"_And then she'll drive you to the hospital" Sam finished off._

_Nate quieted when threatened that they would call Hetty and have her take him to hospital. He cooperated for the rest of his trip. _

Nate was now asleep and under observation in the hospital for at least the next 48 hours, the doctor's had not liked his state when he arrived. His new injuries were cleaned up he was attached to a drip and for lack of anything to do, and for fear of Hetty if he did try to do anything he had capitulated and gone to sleep before Callen and Sam had left satisfied that he was unable to cause trouble for a while. It was Monday lunch time before he properly woke up again.

Claudice had a serious concussion but would by all accounts be able to stand trial.

Emily had filled in the last of the gaps very quickly once in an interrogation room with Kensi. Claudice had wanted to manipulate Callen. The information he could feed her regarding any and all arms movements and situations he heard about could make her a wealthy, powerful woman. At the idea of being manipulated Callen had been as amused as Nate had. Some people knew nothing. It would be a running joke for a few weeks, all at Callen's expense by Sam of course.

Director Vance was furious that the team had not stood down but glad that the situation was over. He was awaiting a full report from Hetty with baited breath. Hetty was waiting on a report from Nate.

David Birch's family were informed of his death and were being handled delicately. Whilst he had changed sides, his parents had not and they were devastated at the loss of their son.

Gibbs had chatted to Callen and Abby to Eric. Both sides had been fully filled in and there was lots of material for report writing for all. The agents made sure to save the lions share for Nate. Keeping him stuck at his desk for a while seemed a good idea.

It was a week and a half later before Nate returned to the office. He was mostly healed with the stitches in his side and some fast fading bruising the only real tangible physical evidence of his ordeal.

He had been visited by the agents in hospital, though he had been so sleepy and knocked sideways by the mix of analgesics and antibiotics that he did not really remember the visit though he was sure they did. He had spoken to Hetty on the phone a few times when she checked in on him and reminded him he had a lot of paperwork to do, but he had not seen her or anyone since he got out of hospital. He knew of course that the team were already working a new case and Hetty reassured him they were fine and that he wanted him to get better so he could come back and give them his much valued insights.

Nate had gone for a medical check up on his way to the office so it was after 11 when he arrived cleared for office work only. He had made a fuss as was appropriate but truthfully desk duties would suit him for the foreseeable.

He found the agents sat at their desks chatting about a case by the sounds of it. He was sure he would find all the details in his inbox courtesy of Hetty and Eric. Eric was also in the bull pen stood in the middle with his hand held device. He had obviously been filling them in when Nate made his appearance.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in" Kensi teased from her seat. She had been the first to see Nate and at her comments the three men turned to greet him to.

"Nate" said Callen his face impassive, and then smiled when he saw what Nate was carrying.

"About time" greeted Sam

Eric made a small wave gesture saying little. Nate decided he would have to get him aside for a chat. Not a difficult task as Eric spent a lot of his day alone. Maybe he would let Eric show him the new computer game he had been telling him about before all this started.

Nate greeted all the team with a smile and raised the box in his arms. Doughnuts. "As way of thank you and apology" he said.

"Hmmm, don't think that will cut it Mr Getz" came a voice from behind him. Nate turned to find himself belt buckle to face with a close and annoyed looking Hetty. "We need a serious talk later" Hetty said pausing for good dramatic effect. "I'll find you" and with that she took the box from his hands and headed to the kitchenette.

Nate grimaced wondering just how much was going to be covered in the 'chat' later and where she would find him.

"Walking lessons I think" Kensi supplied seemingly reading his grimace.

It took Nate a moment to remember Hetty running alongside his walking stride trying to stop him leaving the office ten days previous. "Shoot me now" he moaned. Boy was he in trouble.

"Again?" Callen asked "one shot not enough? And speaking of shooting." Callen continued as he got up and rounded his desk so he was stood facing Nate. "What do you think happens if you fire a gun in a room of explosives and miss your target?"

"That's a theoretical question right?" replied Nate, what did he know "Something bad?"

"Very bad" supplied Sam. "Almost as bad as pushing your team mates around. Physically" he continued as he also stood up and rounded his desk.

Nate had known this was coming; he had crossed a few lines and now was in trouble. Things were back to normal. He would be happy about that later, just not right in this moment. He backed away from Callen as innocently as he could to find his path blocked by Kensi. When had she got up? And when had Eric scarpered, he was nowhere near.

"Or groping them" Kensi said never breaking eye contact with the surprised man.

"G.g..groping" stammered Nate now trying to innocently side step. "I.I.I.. you woke me up" he defended but before he could continue he found himself in a tight hug from the female agent, he resolutely kept his hands in midair. If he was out of trouble he was not getting back into it. Sam and Callen gave him a pat on his shoulder before they headed back to their respective chairs. Kensi also returned back to her chair when she released the stunned man. Eric then reappeared and shock Nate's hand mumbling something Nate could not quite catch. Definitely a chat needed. Today.

"And Eric" Callen announced not wanting to leave the rattled techie out "You get defensive driving lessons whilst Nate learns to walk".

Eric seemed momentarily taken back but then smiled. "Cool" he responded. Sam and Kensi laughed, Eric obviously was missing something. Nate suspected Callen had a thorough driving lesson planned for Eric. He was very glad it was not him in Eric's shoes.

"You Mr Getz" Hetty said as she suddenly appeared back in the bull pen tea in one hand and an iced doughnut in the other, "Have rather a lot of paperwork to do"

"Already did that Hetty" Nate responded looking pleased with himself. In truth he had been bored out of his mind and during a short conversation with Director Vance had convinced the man to let him do his paperwork at home. "I'll send it to your inbox shortly. Now my important business, Psych evaluations, who's first? Callen?"

**The End – I hope you enjoyed.**

**Charmaps**


End file.
